Solanasis — Discovery Call Playbook

Purpose: Your during-the-call guide for running professional, consultative discovery calls. Companion to the Call Pricing Cheat Sheet — keep BOTH open during calls. Last updated: 2026-03-16 Owner: Dmitri Sunshine, CEO Related docs:

Call Pricing Cheat Sheet — pricing, objection handling, stats

ORB One-Pager — send after call

Referral Program Playbook — partner incentives

Mega Playbook — full copy kits + sales close scripts

The Discovery Call Philosophy

You are not selling. You are diagnosing.

The discovery call is a structured conversation where you figure out three things:

What’s broken (or about to break) in their operations
What it’s costing them (money, time, risk, reputation)
Whether Solanasis is the right fit to fix it

If you do this well, the prospect sells themselves. Your job is to ask smart questions, listen deeply, and reflect back what you hear in a way that makes them go “yes, exactly.”

Core principles:

Lead with curiosity, not with a pitch (Golden Rule from your Pricing Cheat Sheet)
Talk less than 40% of the time — if you’re talking more, you’re presenting, not discovering
Never pitch a solution until you’ve fully mapped the problem
Always leave them feeling like they just had the most useful conversation about their business in months
Record everything — these transcripts are gold for your AI systems and SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) development

Pre-Call Prep Checklist (15-20 min)

Do this BEFORE every discovery call. No exceptions.

Research

Visit their website — note what they do, who they serve, team size, tech clues
Check LinkedIn — the person you’re meeting + company page + any mutual connections
Google “[Company name] + cybersecurity” or “[Company name] + data breach” — any incidents?
Check if they have a public privacy policy, terms of service, or compliance page
Look for job postings — reveals what roles they’re missing (IT, ops, security = opportunity)
If referred, review the referral context — what did the referrer say about their pain?

Prep Your Environment

Open this playbook on one screen
Open the Call Pricing Cheat Sheet on another tab
Have a blank doc or ClickUp task ready for live notes
Confirm Fathom or your recording tool is running
Pull up any documents they shared in advance
Have the ORB one-pager ready to screenshare or email after

Mental Prep

Remind yourself: “I’m the doctor. They’re coming to me with symptoms. My job is to diagnose, not prescribe yet.”
Have your opening question ready (see Call Flow below)
Know what YOU need to learn to write a proposal (see Qualification Framework)

The Discovery Call Flow (60-90 minutes)

Phase 1: Rapport & Context Setting (5-10 min)

Goal: Break the ice, set expectations, and establish that this is a two-way conversation.

Opening script (adapt to your style):

“Hey [Name], great to connect. Before we dive in, let me set the stage for what I’m hoping we accomplish today. I want to learn about your business, your tech setup, and where things are working and where they’re not. By the end, I should have enough to put together a clear proposal of what working together could look like. Sound good?”

If there are multiple attendees:

“And [Other Name], I’d love to hear your perspective too — especially on the day-to-day operations side. A lot of times, the person running things sees problems that the founder doesn’t even know about yet.”

Key rapport moves:

Reference something specific you saw in your research (“I noticed you just launched X” or “I saw you were on [show/podcast]”)
If it’s a warm intro, acknowledge the referrer: “So [Referrer] thought we should talk because…”
Let them talk about what’s exciting in their business first — builds goodwill and surfaces context

Pro Tip: The first 5 minutes set the dynamic for the entire call. If you start by talking about yourself or your services, you’ve already lost the consultative frame. Start by making THEM feel heard.

Phase 2: Situational Discovery (15-25 min)

Goal: Understand their business, team, tech stack, and current state of operations.

The “Big Picture” Questions (ask 3-5 of these):

“Walk me through your business at a high level — who are your clients, and what does a typical engagement look like?”
- Why: You need to understand their revenue model to identify where tech failures would be catastrophic
“How many people are on your team, and how are things structured?”
- Why: Reveals org chart, decision-makers, and where roles are unclear
“What tools and systems are you running the business on day to day?”
- Why: Maps their tech stack — look for: CRM, project management, email, website platform, file storage, accounting
“If I looked at your tech stack right now, what would you say is working well and what’s held together with duct tape?”
- Why: Gets them to self-identify their biggest pain point
“Who owns IT and security at your company? Is there a person, an MSP (Managed Service Provider), or is it kind of everyone and no one?”
- Why: Surfaces the authority gap — if nobody owns it, that’s a finding in itself

The “Day in the Life” Questions (pick 2-3):

“When a new client comes in, what does the process look like from first contact to fully onboarded?”
- Why: Reveals automation gaps, manual handoffs, and broken workflows
“What’s the one thing that, if it broke tomorrow, would stop your business cold?”
- Why: Identifies their single point of failure — this is where the ORB conversation lives
“How do you currently handle follow-ups with prospects or clients?”
- Why: Surfaces CRM and automation needs
“What does your team use for communication — Slack, email, something else? And is it working?”
- Why: Communication tool sprawl is a classic ops problem
“Do you have documented processes for your most important workflows, or is most of that institutional knowledge?”
- Why: No SOPs = high bus factor = operational risk

Pro Tip: After each answer, reflect back what you heard before asking the next question. “So it sounds like you’ve got a great client delivery process, but the front-end — new leads coming in, getting them into the pipeline — that’s where things fall through the cracks. Is that fair?” This makes them feel heard AND confirms your understanding.

Phase 3: Pain Discovery (15-20 min)

Goal: Dig into what’s NOT working and what it’s costing them.

The “Impact” Questions:

“You mentioned [pain point from Phase 2]. How long has that been a problem?”
- Why: Duration = urgency indicator
“What’s it costing you, roughly? Not just dollars — but time, missed opportunities, stress?”
- Why: Quantifies pain — this becomes your ROI argument
“Have you tried to fix this before? What happened?”
- Why: Shows what didn’t work (informs your approach) + reveals their willingness to invest
“If we could wave a magic wand and fix one thing in your operations right now, what would it be?”
- Why: Prioritization — this is what they’ll pay for first
“What’s holding you back from fixing this yourself?”
- Why: Surfaces the real blocker — usually time, expertise, or not knowing where to start

Security & Resilience Questions (from your Golden 5 — use when relevant):

“When was your last real restore test — not just ‘we have backups,’ but actually restoring and verifying data?”
“If your main system went down right now, how long until you’re fully back?”
“Who actually owns security and disaster recovery at your company?”
“Have you had any incidents — even small ones — in the last year?”
“What keeps you up at night about your technology?”

AI & Automation Questions (use for tech-forward prospects):

“Are you using any AI tools right now? Formally or informally?”
“What manual processes are eating up the most time for you or your team?”
“If you could automate one thing tomorrow, what would it be?”
“Do you have any concerns about AI — data privacy, accuracy, your team actually using it?”

Pro Tip: When they share a pain point, go THREE questions deep before moving on. Surface level: “We need better follow-ups.” One deeper: “What happens when someone falls through the cracks?” Two deeper: “What was the biggest deal you lost because of that?” Three deep: “What would it mean for the business if that never happened again?” This is where the emotional buy-in lives.

Phase 4: Vision & Priorities (5-10 min)

Goal: Understand where they want to go, so your proposal connects present pain to future goals.

“Where do you see the business in 12 months? What needs to be true for that to happen?”
“If we’re sitting here a year from now and this engagement was a home run, what does that look like?”
“What’s your most important initiative right now — the thing that everything else supports?”
“Are you looking for a one-time fix, or an ongoing partner who stays with you?”
- Why: Gauges appetite for retainer (the goal)

Phase 5: Qualification Check (5 min, internal)

Run through this mentally (or on your notes) before moving to next steps:

Criteria	Green	Yellow	Red
Budget	They have budget or know they need to allocate	”We need to figure out budget"	"We have no budget for this”
Authority	You’re talking to the decision-maker	DM is close (spouse, partner, board)	DM is completely absent
Need	Clear, articulated pain with impact	Vague sense that “something should change”	No real pain, just curious
Timeline	”We need this now/this quarter"	"Sometime this year"	"No rush at all”
Fit	10-500 users, M365/GWS, needs our core services	Slightly outside ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) but close	Way outside ICP, or needs something we don’t do

If RED on 2+ criteria: Gracefully disengage. Offer to be a resource, give them a free tip, and move on. Your time is your most valuable asset.

If YELLOW on most: They’re a nurture lead. End the call with value, add to your pipeline, and follow up in 30 days.

If GREEN on 3+: Move to Phase 6 — Next Steps.

Phase 6: Next Steps & Proposal Preview (5-10 min)

Goal: Close with clear, specific next steps. Never end a discovery call without a calendar commitment.

Transition script:

“Okay, here’s what I’m hearing. You’ve got [summarize 2-3 key pain points]. What I’d like to do is put together a proposal that covers [high-level approach]. It’ll have a few options so you can choose what makes sense for your budget and timeline. I can have that to you by [date]. Before I do that — is there anything else I should know?”

For ORB-first engagements:

“Based on what you’ve told me, I think the smartest first step is our 10-day Resilience Checkup. It’s a deep, independent assessment of your security posture, a real restore test — not just ‘we have backups’ — and a prioritized 30/60/90 plan. For a team your size, that runs [price]. Half upfront, half at delivery. I can send you the one-pager right now if you’d like to see exactly what’s included.”

For broader operational engagements:

“It sounds like you need more than just a security checkup — you need someone to come in, look at the whole operation, and give you a clear roadmap. What I’d propose is starting with a focused discovery sprint — maybe 2-3 sessions with your key team members — and then delivering a proposal that covers the highest-impact items first. Does that sound right?”

Always get these before hanging up:

Next meeting date/time on the calendar
Who else needs to be on the next call
What documents/access they’ll send you beforehand
Permission to send a follow-up email with summary + one-pager

Post-Call Checklist (Do within 1 hour)

Send follow-up email — Thank them, summarize key pain points you heard, state next steps, attach one-pager if relevant
Update pipeline — Create/update the ClickUp task or CRM entry with: company name, contact info, pain points, services discussed, qualification score (G/Y/R), next step, date
Review recording — Let Fathom generate the summary. Skim for anything you missed.
Draft proposal framework — While it’s fresh, outline what you’d propose (services, pricing, timeline)
Send materials promised — Any docs, links, or resources you said you’d share
Log referral credit — If this was a referral, notify the referral partner that discovery is complete
Schedule your own prep time — Block 30-60 min before the next call to review notes and prep the proposal

Special Situations

When It’s a Friend or Warm Connection

Don’t skip the process just because you know them — the structure is what makes you look professional
Acknowledge the relationship: “I want to make sure I serve you the same way I would any client, so I’m going to ask some questions that might feel formal, but they help me build the best proposal for you.”
Be extra careful about scope creep — friends are the most likely to ask for “just one more thing” without realizing it’s a new project

When It’s a Partnership Conversation (Not a Direct Sale)

See the Partnership Discovery Framework below
The call flow changes: instead of diagnosing THEIR problems, you’re exploring mutual fit
Key question: “How do your clients typically find out they need what I do?”
Partnership discovery often takes 2-3 conversations, not one

When They Already Know What They Want

Don’t force the full discovery flow — match their energy
But DO ask: “Before we jump into scope, can I ask a couple of questions to make sure I’m building the right thing?”
At minimum, hit: budget, timeline, decision-maker, tech stack

When Multiple People Are on the Call

Assign a “listen for” to each person in your head: CEO = vision/budget, Ops = pain/workflows, IT = tech stack
Make sure everyone speaks — ask quieter attendees directly: “[Name], what’s your perspective on this?”
Take note of disagreements between attendees — these are gold for your proposal (you can be the neutral third party who resolves them)

Partnership Discovery Framework

When the call isn’t about selling TO them, but exploring working TOGETHER.

Phase 1: Mutual Understanding (15 min)

“Give me the elevator pitch — what does your company do and who do you serve?”
“What does your ideal client look like?”
“What services do you deliver, and where do you typically stop?”
“What do your clients ask for that you don’t currently offer?”
- Why: This is where Solanasis fills the gap

Phase 2: Exploring the Fit (15 min)

“If we were to work together, how do you imagine it working? What does ‘partnership’ mean to you?”
“Who owns the client relationship — you, me, or shared?”
“How do you handle pricing when multiple parties are involved?”
“What’s happened in the past when you’ve tried to partner with other firms?”
- Why: Reveals partnership red flags and expectations

Phase 3: Structuring the Partnership (15 min)

“Let’s talk about what the first engagement could look like — who has a client right now that needs help?”
“How should we handle introductions — warm handoff, co-branded proposal, or white-label?”
“What does success look like in 90 days? In a year?”
“What are the deal-breakers for you in a partnership?”

Partnership Models (reference during or after call)

Model	How It Works	Best For	Revenue Split
Referral Partner	They introduce, we deliver, they get 10-15%	Low-touch, many partners	10-15% of first project
Co-Delivery Partner	They deliver part, we deliver part	Complementary skill sets	Scoped per project
White-Label Partner	We deliver under their brand	They have the client relationship	60-70% to Solanasis, 30-40% margin to them
Strategic Alliance	Joint go-to-market, shared clients	Deep alignment, long-term	Varies by engagement
Embedded Fractional	We operate as their in-house CIO/CTO team	They want to offer tech services	Monthly retainer

The Question Vault (Reference Library)

Organized by service area — pull from these when the conversation goes in a specific direction.

Security & Resilience

“How do you know your backups are actually working?”
“When was the last time someone reviewed your user permissions?”
“Do you have a written incident response plan?”
“Has anyone on your team been through security awareness training?”
“What happens to data when an employee leaves?”

CRM & Sales Operations

“Walk me through what happens when a new lead comes in.”
“How many tools are involved from first contact to closed deal?”
“What’s your follow-up process? Is it documented or gut-feel?”
“How does leadership see the pipeline? Is there a dashboard?”
“What’s your biggest frustration with your current CRM?”

Data Migration

“What systems are you moving from and to?”
“How clean is your current data — any duplicates, missing fields, legacy junk?”
“What’s the downtime tolerance? Can you afford to be offline during the switch?”
“Who’s responsible for validating that the migration was successful?”
“What happens to the old system — archive, decommission, or keep running in parallel?”

Systems Integration

“How many manual copy-paste steps happen between your systems right now?”
“What breaks most often — and how do you find out it’s broken?”
“Do you have anyone monitoring your integrations, or do you find out when something stops working?”
“Are you using Zapier, Make, or any automation tool currently?”

AI Implementation

“What’s your team’s comfort level with AI right now?”
“Are people using ChatGPT or other AI tools informally — maybe without you knowing?”
“Do you have any data that’s sensitive enough that it shouldn’t go into an AI tool?”
“What would you automate first if you could?”
“Do you have an AI policy or any governance around how AI is used?”

Operational Process & Workflows

“What’s the one process that, if you documented it, would save the most headaches?”
“How does your team track projects and tasks right now?”
“If your best employee left tomorrow, what knowledge would walk out the door?”
“How many different communication channels is your team using?”
“When something falls through the cracks, how do you usually find out?”

Scorecard: Rate Every Discovery Call

After each call, score yourself 1-5 on each:

Criteria	Score (1-5)	Notes
I talked less than 40% of the time
I asked at least 3 questions that made them pause and think
I clearly understand their #1 pain point
I know who the decision-maker is
I left with a specific next step on the calendar
I didn’t pitch too early
I reflected back what I heard before moving on
I would be proud if a mentor watched this call

Target score: 32+ out of 40. If you’re consistently under 28, review your recordings and adjust.

Pro Tip: The best discovery callers in the world aren’t great talkers — they’re great listeners who ask great follow-up questions. Every time you catch yourself about to launch into a monologue about Solanasis, stop and ask another question instead. The prospect should leave the call feeling like THEY discovered the answer, not like you told it to them.

Quick Reference: Discovery Call Don’ts

Don’t send a deck or one-pager BEFORE the call (it anchors them on price before you’ve established value)
Don’t give pricing until you’ve fully understood the scope (refer to Pricing Cheat Sheet when needed)
Don’t trash their current setup or vendor (instead: “That made sense when you set it up. Things have changed.“)
Don’t promise timelines you can’t hit — underpromise and overdeliver
Don’t skip the pre-call research — nothing kills credibility faster than asking something you could have Googled
Don’t let the call run without structure — it’s okay to gently redirect: “That’s great context. Let me ask you about…”
Don’t end without next steps — if they say “let me think about it,” ask: “Totally, what would be most helpful for you to think through? Can I put time on the calendar for [specific date] to reconnect?”

This playbook is a living document. After every discovery call, note what worked and what didn’t. Update the questions, the flow, and the scripts based on real experience. The best playbook is the one that’s been battle-tested 50 times.

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